Crispy Pork Chops with Cauliflower Mash and Arugula Apple Salad – yes, please!

Originally Published 08/21/2021

This is my kind of dinner!

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut about what to cook. It seems like we eat the same three things over and over. Or I don’t feel like cooking so we order pizza (which never hurts my feelings lol).

But this recipe for Crispy Pork Chops with Cauliflower Mash and Arugula Apple Salad is so delicious, and looks super fancy like I tried really hard! But really… don’t tell anyone… it isn’t a difficult dinner to make.

Each of the three components is easy and pretty quick, overall this dinner only takes about an hour to whip together!

So let’s get to it! We’re going to start with the cauliflower mash because it takes the longest time to cook out of the three things. Also, the pork chops need to be served immediately to retain their best crispy state! So those will be cooked last.

I know everyone is in love with cauliflower everything right now.

But I am seriously in love with these homemade cauliflower mashed potatoes. Pretty minimal effort to make. Also, you really can’t feel bad about eating them because they’re cauliflower! I grabbed a large head of cauliflower for this recipe. After chopping it up, it came to about 8 cups. If you’re serving a large family/group you may need to double the recipe. I might double the recipe next time, just so I can go back for thirds. 😉

So while the cauliflower is boiling,

use that time to throw all the other ingredients in the food processor and chop the chives. I used sour cream, but you could substitute milk or cream cheese. Just watch the consistency as milk will make it runnier and you may need less and cream cheese may thicken. 

Drain the cooked cauliflower, add it to the food processor, and whip away until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes! Scoop them in a serving bowl and sprinkle them with chives. I’m a sucker for casserole and au gratin dishes! Cover with tin foil and place them in the oven on warm or as low as your oven will go!

Now it’s time for the arugula apple salad!

Arugula is one of my faves! So peppery and fresh! I think that’s why it goes so well with the sweet/tart granny smith apples in this salad! They balance each other out nicely!

So throw the arugula in a bowl. Toast the walnuts and add them to the mix. Slice up some red onion for color and a pop of flavor.

And then slice the apples to go on top! I like the match stick look, just for something different, but slices will work all the same and take less time! I also like to use 2-3 tbsp of lemon juice over the apple slices as I’m cutting them to keep them from turning brown as they oxidize. 

For the dressing- simply whisk together the ingredients and set to the side! If you’re not a mustard fan, you can leave it out and the dressing will still taste fantastic!

Last but not least, the Crispy Pork Chops!

These are so simple. All you need is some Italian seasoned bread crumbs, super-thin pork chops, and coconut oil.

The Italian bread crumbs already contain enough salt, and seasonings so you don’t have to add more unless you want to. I don’t dip the pork chops in egg, and then flour, and then bread crumbs.

I prefer the simplicity of just taking them out of the package, pressing them in the crumbs, and frying them up! To me, the thin coat of crumbs tastes better. If you’d prefer to use vegetable oil, or olive oil to fry them in, those would work too. I like coconut oil because it has a higher smoke point so it can get a little hotter without burning!

Because the pork chops are so thin, they don’t take any time at all to crisp up nicely! The crispy pork chops only need about 5-8 minutes per side. As soon as both sides are a nice golden brown, they’re done and ready to eat!

Time to ring the dinner bell!

I like to cut a fresh lemon to squeeze over the top of the pork chops. You can also sprinkle more of the fresh chopped chives and some parmesan cheese over the top of everything too!

This recipe will serve 4 adults, but each component can be scaled up to feed more people. 

See? Told you this recipe for Crispy Pork Chops with Cauliflower Mash and Arugula Apple Salad was quick and easy! If you try it out, let me know if you like it and what you think!? I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Happy Saturday, and thanks for reading!❤️❤️❤️

Print Recipe

Crispy Pork Chops with Cauliflower Mash and Arugula Apple Salad

An easy, healthy, and delicious weeknight meal.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time23 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Strainer
• Food Processor
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Salad Bowl
• Whisk
• Large frying pan

Ingredients

Sour Cream & Chive Cauliflower Mash

• 1 head Cauliflower 8 cups
• 8 Cups Water
• 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1 bunch Chives diced

Arugula Apple Salad

• 1 4 oz bag Arugula
• 1 Granny Smith Apple cut into sticks
• 1/2 Cup Walnuts toasted
• 1/2 Cup Red Onions thinly sliced

Arugula Apple Salad Dressing

• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Honey
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Crispy Pork Chops

• 1 1/2 lbs Thin Sliced Pork Chops
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Instructions

Sour Cream & Chive Cauliflower Mash

• To begin making this meal, start with the Cauliflower Mash. Chop one large head of cauliflower into pieces. Place the cauliflower in a large pot with 8 cups of water and place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender all the way through when stuck with a fork.
• While the cauliflower is cooking – add 1/2 tsp of minced garlic, 1/4 cup of sour cream, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 1/4 tsp of salt, and a 1/4 tsp of pepper to the food processor. Also, chop the chives and place them in a small bowl.
• Once the cauliflower is soft, drain off all the water and add the cauliflower to the food processor as well. Run the processor until the cauliflower is puréed and all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets mixed well.
• Scoop the cauliflower mash out of the food processor into a heat-proof serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven on warm until other elements are done and dinner is ready!

Arugula Apple Salad

• Pour the 4oz bag of arugula into a salad bowl. Wash and cut the granny smith apple into sticks, or slices if you’d prefer. Also cut up a 1/2 cup of red onion slices. For the toasted walnuts, add 1/2 cup of whole walnuts to a small sauté pan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the walnuts smell warm. Arrange the apple slices, red onion, and walnuts on top of the arugula.
• To make the dressing simply add 4 tbsp of olive oil, 4 tbsps of lemon juice, 2 tsp of honey, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of coarse ground black pepper to a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. You can either pour the dressing over the salad now, or keep it in the bowl for everyone to add as much to their own salads as they’d like!

Crispy Pork Chops

• In a large frying pan, add 1/4 cup of coconut oil and begin heating it over medium heat. Pour 1/2 cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs on a plate. Take each thin-cut pork chop and press each side down into the crumbs until they are all coated on both sides.
• Place the pork chops in the frying pan and cook for 5-8 minutes on each side. They should be golden brown on both sides when they are finished. Remove from the pan and place on a serving plate. Cut lemon wedges to squeeze over the top of them if you would like!
• Dish up your plate and garnish with leftover chives, a squeeze of lemon juice on the pork chop, and maybe some freshly grated parmesan, and enjoy!

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